BARISHAL, July 7: Over 65 per cent of teachers positions have been lying vacant in Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) since long, hampering treatment activities seriously.
According to sources at the SBMCH, due to this, the treatment system of the medical is set to nosedive.
At present, only 151 teachers are working in the college against granted 331 positions while 180 posts are vacant. In about 60 years since its establishment, half of the teaching staffs including associate professor, assistant professor, curator, lecturer, pathologist, medical officer, and biochemist were not posted.
Few years back, an initiative was taken to create some new posts of professor, associate professor, and assistant professor. But it did not see light.
Very recently because of various irregularities, the president of Hospital Management Committee was changed. Water Resources Affairs Minister Jahid Faruq Shamim, MP, has been made the new president. He held a meeting with the SBMCH administration and people from all walks of life at night on 26 June.
He gave assurance of different promises for improving the treatment services of the hospital in the next three months. In this regard, no comment was available from him. The foundation stone of the hospital was laid down by the then East Pakistan governor Abdul Monaem Khan on November 6 in 1964. Later on, the hospital for 21 districts of south and south-west was inaugurated.
In 1979, the own Bhaban of the hospital adjacent to the college was inaugurated by the then president Ziaur Rahman.
A total of 80 per cent of granted posts of teachers were not filled up. That is why the teacher crisis is becoming severe.
This matter is being regularly informed to the Health Department and the Health Ministry, said College Principal Dr Md Fayjul Bashar.
According to latest accounts, only five professors are working in the college against granted 50 positions including 10 new ones. Against granted 50 associate professors posts including 24 new ones, 42 associate professors are working. A total of 57 assistant professors are working against granted 123 including 43 new ones. Besides, against 82 posts of lecturers, medical officers, pathologists, biochemists and pharmacists, 45 ones are working.
Against 205 granted posts of 10 to 20th grades, only 92 ones are working.
A total of 66 assistant professors are working against granted 123 posts.
There is no teacher in many departments. Several departments are being run by lecturers and medical officers.
Against 82 granted posts of medical officers, pathologists, biochemists and pharmacists, 37 ones are working.
College Principal Dr Md Fayjul Bashar said, during the corona time, the hospital was closed for 19 months; during this time many teachers went on retirement; now it is taking time to fill their vacant positions. "Despite problems, we are trying all ways to run academic activities smoothly," he added.
